‘Championship or nothing:’ How swaggy, hard-hitting safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson is a bold tone-setter for Texans

HOUSTON – The new sheriff in town has true swagger, even sporting a fresh black hat with gold trim, clips and elaborate accents that included a pink feather and insignias across the brim.

Even before hard-hitting, instinctive veteran safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson starts patrolling the absolutely loaded Texans secondary, he’s already emerging as a tone-setter. Yes, he said his hat game is superior to Cam Newton’s haberdashery.

“I look like Cam Newton?” said Gardner-Johnson, who wore the hat as a tribute to his time with the New Orleans Saints as he reunited with Texans defensive tackle Mario Edwards Jr. “Tell Cam to get at me.”

Acquired in a trade in March along with a 2026 sixth-round draft pick in exchange for former first-round offensive guard Kenyon Green and a 2025 fifth-round selection after helping the Philadelphia Eagles win a Super Bowl ring, Gardner-Johnson arrives in Houston with a reputation as a bold trash-talker who backs up his words with his actions.

Besides emphasizing that he wants to be called “Ceedy,” and covets the No. 8 jersey currently assigned to returning wide receiver John Metchie III, Gardner-Johnson leaves no doubt about his ambitions. He joined the defending AFC South champion Texans -- a franchise that’s 0-6 all-time in the AFC divisional round and is the lone AFC team to never reach the AFC championship -- with every intention of earning another Super Bowl ring.

That’s why the Texans acquired Gardner-Johnson. His impactful presence, which included tying a career-high with six interceptions last season, should add a distinctive edge to the defense. That’s what coach DeMeco Ryans, the architect of one of the top defenses in the NFL, is hoping for.

“Championship or nothing,” Gardner-Johnson said. “He didn’t bring me here to win the division, or the conference. So, if I’m here to help win the Super Bowl, that’s going to be the reason. I think people know. A lot of people look at this team and it’s like, ‘Oh, they’ve got a lot of great pieces.’

“But me to you, I think it’s more than just a lot of great pieces. We have a great culture here, great organization. I think the more you fill this up with winners, not just me, coach DeMeco was a winner. So, you fill the room up with winners, I think you’re going to get what you want and I think we’re going to get it real soon.”

Gardner-Johnson left Philadelphia after helping shut down the Kansas City Chiefs’ vaunted offense headlined by quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Star tight end Travis Kelce was locked up, limited to four catches for 39 yards on six targets.

Gardner-Johnson had two stints with the Eagles in between playing for the Detroit Lions.

By acquiring Gardner-Johnson, the Texans add an instinctive, ball-hawking safety who has 18 career interceptions as he joins a talented secondary that already includes All-Pro corner Derek Stingley Jr., cornerback Kamari Lassiter, safety Calen Bullock and nickel Jalen Pitre.

Gardner-Johnson is only 27 and in the prime of his career. Why did the Eagles move on? Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has made major investments in the offensive line, quarterback Jalen Hurts and running back Saquon Barkley. He has some young safeties he can play opposite Reed Blankenship. Gardner-Johnson is due $8.5 million this year and $11.5 million in the final two years of his contract, which has void years from 2027 to 2030. Roseman has indicated that the trade was financially motivated.

“A lot of Philly people want to know, I should be asking you guys,” Ryans said at the NFL owners meetings in Palm Beach, Fla. “You guys are upset he left, so I’m excited to get him. I feel his passion for the game, his love for football, it jumps off the tape. I’m excited to work with him. I’m excited to see what he brings to our team. You’re talking about a guy now with Super Bowl experience.”

The trade admittedly caught Gardner-Johnson off-guard, but he’s accepted the change of scenery and has been working out alongside his fellow defensive backs with extra training sessions with private coach Jacory Nichols.

“To be honest with you, I’m still shocked, but I’m happy,” Gardner-Johnson said. “New, fresh start, meet new guys. I think the biggest thing I’ve noticed is this team is very young. I think it was a great move for me. I think it allowed me not to get too comfortable. People have to understand I was comfortable where I was at. It was easy. I think moving here, being the older guy, I actually have to grow up.

“That’s a funny statement, but growing up and teaching guys it’s more than just football. Being traded multiple times, I think people would shadow it by the things I’ve done in the league. But in reality, I just love playing football. I think I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t love football. I think I wouldn’t still be in the league if I didn’t love football or play with the passion I’ve got. So, I think the emotional state for me right now is cool. But, mentally, I’m going to do what I need to do.”

Yes, Gardner-Johnson is known for his boisterous, talkative style that frequently grates on opponents. He’s also known for occasionally ruffling a few feathers by challenging teammates to match his intensity.

In Philadelphia, Gardner-Johnson built a reputation for having an outspoken alpha personality. He’s also known as a good teammate who cares about his colleagues and for his intelligence. The Texans are liking the edge Gardner-Johnson brings to their locker room. The true chemistry test will come later under the fire of the season.

“My first day meeting him, and he’s everything I knew he would be: competitive, talks smack, and I love it,” Texans Pro Bowl defensive end Will Anderson Jr. said. “We need those type of guys in the locker room to lighten everybody’s mood a little bit and show it’s fun, man. Football is fun and he brings that energy.

“That juice. His energy is contagious and I felt it today while we were running sprints and conditioning and stuff like that. He is very competitive and to play in this defense and play our style of ball then you’ve got to be competitive and you’ve got to have a little edge to you and I think he has all of those things.”

Six years into his NFL career after being drafted by the Saints in the fourth round out of the University of Florida, Gardner-Johnson is on his fifth team in five seasons. He’s been showing an infectious, fun-loving personality.

“He could bring a lot,” Pitre said. “That competitive nature is just going to continue to rise, because obviously we have a competitive group, but when you add a little bit to the fire, it’s definitely going to continue to grow. He’s also going to add that championship (experience), what it takes to get there and how it’s going to feel when we get there. He’s been there.”

Gardner-Johnson, a native of Cocoa, Florida, was born as Chauncey Gardner Jr. before changing his name in college to honor his stepfather, Brian Johnson.

An experienced safety and nickel, Gardner-Johnson is known for his explosive tackling at 5-foot-11, 210 pounds and for his quick breaks on the football.

Now, he’ll be competing in practice against quarterback C.J. Stroud after matching wits with Hurts previously.

“He’s a competitor,” Gardner-Johnson said. “I say a lot of people don’t understand with C.J. Now that I’ve met him, he cares a lot more than people think. A lot of people look at him, ‘He’s nonchalant.’ Being here the first three days or two days I’ve been here, he’s everything you want in a quarterback.

“He may not be in the media like people expected from guys I’ve played with, but you’ve got to understand this guy is a winning quarterback. He helped turn this organization around. So, I think having more vet presence around him is going to help him come out of his shell a little bit more, which he probably already did. Great guy, great guy.”

Gardner-Johnson has recorded 304 career tackles, 18 interceptions, two force fumbles, 51 passes defensed, four sacks and 22 tackles for losses.

Gardner-Johnson was ejected from a regular-season game against the Washington Commanders after a run-in with Dyami Brown where his helmet was punched off his head, followed by another unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. He flipped off the Washington fans on his way to the locker room and was later fined $45,022 by the NFL.

“Get the ball, hit hard and, I guess, talk crap,” Gardner-Johnson said. “I’m one of the most winning safeties in football right now. So, I think what I bring here is just culture that we should all, technically, have in us already. I always played winning football before and this team is full of guys that have been to great colleges from Bama to LSU, Florida State.

“So, we’ve just got to just continue to do what we’ve been doing since we were kids. At the end of the day, it’s not hard. Go out there and trust each other and trust what coach DeMeco is telling us and go win.”

What else does Gardner-Johnson want?

Metchie’s jersey. Perhaps they can conduct some business for the number.

“Metchie’s got to give that up,” he said. “I’m sorry, Metch. I’m sorry.”

The goals, as much as anything in terms of wins down the road, are short-term right now for Gardner-Johnson: learn the offense and get to know his teammates and be a good influence.

“To be honest with you, just help them understand who they are and be where your feet are,” Gardner-Johnson said. “The moment is not too big or too small for anybody. I think when you come from a great organization with Philly, I think coming here just basically letting these guys know that winning is everything if we do it the right way. Everybody’s happy. The media, you guys are even happy. So, I think coming here just teaching those guys how to win and going about the ways of winning, not just winning the division, trying to win the conference championship, win the Super Bowl.

“When you’ve done that, been there, it’s easy to talk about it, but you’ve got to do it by action. I didn’t find myself until I won the Super Bowl. All these guys in this building, they have the same hunger and anger about, ‘I’ve got to get to the top of the mountain.’ I found myself when I understood that it’s not about me. When you win a championship, it’s really not about you. I think that’s when I found myself, accepting who I was and understanding what I can really be and affect in a positive way. Became a world champion and that was history.”

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com